Mac Neil narrowly edged by McIntosh in 100m fly at Canadian Swimming Open, has no plans for retirement
CBC
Canadian Olympic swimming champion Maggie Mac Neil took time on Friday ahead of her 100-metre butterfly race at the Speedo Canadian Open to clarify a few things about her swimming future.
In February, during an interview with CBC Sports, Mac Neil said the Paris Olympics this summer would be her last Games.
"I would be happy if I retired now," Mac Neil said during that interview.
In the wake of that story Mac Neil heard from a lot of people, many who were fearful that the end of her career was seemingly imminent.
WATCH | Olympic champion Mac Neil clarifies post-Paris future:
She's setting the record straight – Mac Neil isn't going anywhere fast, except in the pool.
"I've gotten a little slack on that headline," she said.
"I'm definitely not done with the sport after Paris, but I think I was just saying at that moment that I was because four years is a long time to wait until L.A. And I mean, I do have ambitions outside the pool. So I was more talking about how I was excited to move on with that once my career has finally come to an end."
When she finally did take to the pool in the 100m fly final on Friday evening, Mac Neil found herself in a riveting showdown with Canadian swimming phenom Summer McIntosh.
The two swimmers were essentially tied from start to finish but in the end it was McIntosh touching the wall first in a personal best time of 57.19. Mac Neil came in second in a time of 57.24.
More than anything this week's competition was a tune-up for the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic trials that take place on May 13-20 at the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre.
WATCH | McIntosh wins 100m fly, narrowly beating Olympic champion Mac Neil:
Mac Neil is looking to become the first woman ever to win two gold medals in the 100m butterfly at the Olympics – and she's not afraid to make that goal very clear.
"That's a goal that's in the back of my mind," she said.
